This project addresses the following problem statements: 1) what measures can best be used to capture individuals’ preparedness and planning for natural hazards?, 2) how effective are traditional strategies, such as community engagement groups vs. brochures vs. websites vs. advertising in increasing preparedness and planning by residents of hazard prone areas?, and 3) how can strategies be improved to increase preparedness and planning for natural hazards? All problem statements are being addressed within the context of bushfires and floods. Over the past 12 months, this project has undertaken and completed the following:

We have finalized addressing Problem Statement 1, and have published a collection of preparedness and planning measures for bushfires and floods in a Technical Report (McNeill, Boldero, & McIntosh, 2015a).

We have developed and conducted two large survey studies amongst residents of bushfire and flood prone areas, the results of which will address Problem Statement 2.

Preliminary results of these first two studies have been presented at the Research Advisory Forum in Sydney (McNeill, Boldero, & McIntosh, 2015b), an AFAC Community Safety Technical Group meeting, and the Disaster and Emergency Management Conference at the Gold Coast (McNeill, Boldero, & McIntosh, 2015c).

The next 12 months will focus on the development of our Phase 3 research, which will identify psychological barriers and enablers of preparedness and planning in the context of a set of non-traditional strategies aimed to increase preparedness and planning.